The terms “heartthrob” and “movie star” often go hand in hand, as Hollywood was built on stories of young, attractive people. In most live-action projects on both the big and small screens, there is usually an actor meant to be the main eye candy, or at the very least, be pleasant for the audience to look at. Although this approach to casting is without a doubt shallow, as actors should be hired for their skill of the craft, heartthrobs still exist in modern cinema. But, thankfully, many viewers are sensitive enough not to objectify actors.
Hollywood heartthrob culture reached a fever pitch in the 2000s, when most films premiered exclusively in theaters and people still read magazines detailing the lives of their favorite celebrities. While pop culture has largely moved away from declaring which actors receive heartthrob statuses, it is essential to reflect on a time when an actor could center his career around his position as a teen idol. Sure, teen idols still exist today, but not in the pages of J-14 and Tiger Beat like they did in the 2000s.
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Zac Efron
He’s Still Acting, Mostly In Comedies
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Zac Efron became a big star in the 2000s. The actor broke out with the Disney Channel film franchise High School Musical and the movie musical Hairspray. His roles in these projects cemented Efron as a talented actor and singer. Efron’s status as the romantic lead made him a sex symbol and secured his presence on both the big and small screen.
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Since his debut in the 2000s, Efron has been a constant presence in film. While the actor has ventured into dramas, he gravitates toward comedy. Recently, Efron played Kevin Von Erich in the 2023 drama The Iron Claw. The actor has been open about his substance abuse issues and living with mental illness. In August 2024, Efron was found unconscious in a pool in Ibiza, Spain. He sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital after one day.
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Patrick Dempsey
He Is Both Acting And Auto-Racing
Patrick Dempsey is best known for his work on Grey’s Anatomy. He was a core member of the main cast when the show premiered in 2005, which brought him into the public eye as Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd, the love interest of Dr. Meredith Grey. Derek was killed off Grey’s Anatomy in season 11 Along with Grey’s Anatomy, Dempsey starred in multiple romantic comedies in the 2000s, such as Made of Honor (2008) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002). He also played one of the male leads in Disney’s hit movie Enchanted (2007).
In 2023, Dempsey was crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive.
Dempsey left Grey’s Anatomy in 2015 and has since starred in a number of projects. Notably, he appeared in Bridget Jones’s Baby and Ferrari. The actor has also become a prominent auto racer and has competed in prestigious events like 24 Hours of Le Man and Rolex 24. In 2023, Dempsey was crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive.
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Ryan Phillippe
He’s Been In Legal Trouble
Although Ryan Phillippe first broke out on the Hollywood scene in the late 1990s with films like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cruel Intentions, he became a full-blown heartthrob in the 2000s. He had supporting roles in films like Crash, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers. Phillipe is also known for his marriage to actress Reese Witherspoon from 1999 to 2006. In the 2010s, Phillippe discussed his interest in directing and writing. He helped run a production company called Lucid Films.
Recently, Phillippe appeared in the ABC drama Big Sky where he played Cody Hoyt, a former detective turned private investigator. Phillippe’s personal life has been littered with issues. In 2017, two of Phillippe’s ex-girlfriends came forward about his alleged harassment. One girlfriend, Paulina Slagter, accused Phillippe of sending threatening text messages. Phillippe’s other ex-girlfriend, Elise Hewitt, sued him for domestic abuse (via People).
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Taylor Lautner
He Recently Appeared In A Taylor Swift Music Video
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Taylor Lautner’s career took off after his appearance in the Robert Rodriguez film, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D as the titular Sharkboy. However, Lautner is best known for his role as one of Bella Swan’s love interests, werewolf Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga. At the time, he was one of the highest-paid teenagers in Hollywood. Lautner is also a skilled martial artist, earning a black belt in karate when he was 10.
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In the 2010s, Lautner appeared in two Adam Sandler films, Grown Ups 2 and The Ridiculous Six. Lautner’s career has cooled down in the wake of Twilight’s popularity, but he did deliver a comedic turn as Dr. Cassidy Cascade in Scream Queens. He also appeared in the music video for Taylor Swift’s song “I Can See You.” In 2022, Lautner married Taylor Dome.
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Robert Pattinson
He Became An A24 Darling After Twilight
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Like Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson’s career also didn’t begin with Twilight. The British actor first rose to prominence as the ill-fated Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. But, of course, Pattinson is best known for starring as the romantic leading man, vampire Edward Cullen, who marries Bella in the Twilight series. While the actor has discussed his distaste for the series, it is credited for launching his career to new heights.
Pattinson has performed on the soundtracks of Twilight, How to Be, Damsel, and High Life.
Pattinson continues to work in major film projects, and has now solidified himself as an arthouse actor. In 2019, he appeared in the A24 film The Lighthouse alongside Willem Dafoe. Most notably, he played the titular character in 2022’s The Batman. Pattinson also works as a musician and has lent his vocal cords to many movie soundtracks.
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Josh Hartnett
He Recently Appeared In M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap
Josh Hartnett achieved teen idol status after his appearance in ABC’s drama series Cracker. From there, his career exploded. Hartnett starred in several big movies in the 2000s, such as Pearl Harbor, O, Black Hawk Down, and 40 Days and 40 Nights. Hartnett was also considered to play Batman in the Christopher Nolan series; the role eventually went to Christian Bale.
After some time away, Hartnett’s career resurfaced with an appearance in Oppenheimer in 2023, playing nuclear physicist Ernest Lawrence. In 2024, Hartnett starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller, Trap, in which he went against type and played a serial killer. The film was a box-office success that re-cemented his career. Hartnett is involved with multiple charity organizations like Global Cool. He has also been active in raising awareness about the East Africa droughts.
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Orlando Bloom
He Has A Baby With Pop Star Katy Perry
Orlando Bloom has starred in some of the biggest franchises in film history. He played the dreamy pirate Will Turner in Disney’s The Pirates of the Caribbean series and Legolas, the elf and archer expert, in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series. In the 2000s, Bloom also starred in Ridley Scott’s war drama Black Hawk Down as PFC Todd Blackburn.
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Bloom’s acting career slowed down after the 2000s. However, given the financial success of the franchises he starred in, Bloom doesn’t need to work constantly to stay afloat. But recently, Bloom starred in the Amazon Prime series Carnival Row Rycroft Philostrate. He also served as an executive producer for the show. Bloom has also been engaged to pop superstar Katy Perry since 2019. The couple has one child, Daisy, born in 2020.
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Corbin Bleu
The Disney Channel Star Is Working On Broadway
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Chad Michael Murray
He’s Seen Success In Reboots
Chad Michael Murray starred in multiple teen classics back in the 2000s, notably playing the romantic leads in A Cinderella Story and Freaky Friday. Murray also starred in many teen series in the 2000s, like Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, and Gilmore Girls. Needless to say, he became a teen idol almost overnight because of his appearances in the previously mentioned series.
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Murray has made a return to television since the 2000s. He continues to appear in teen dramas like Riverdale, in which he played an over-the-top cult leader. He has also joined Netflix’s unofficial roster of repertory actors, as his most recent projects saw him playing the love interests in the Netflix original films Mother of the Bride and The Merry Gentlemen. The actor will also reprise his Freaky Friday role in the 2025 sequel, Freakier Friday.
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Jesse McCartney
He Is Still Making New Music
Jesse McCartney didn’t begin his career as a musician, as he actually started out as an actor. His first acting stint was on the soap opera, All My Children. McCartney went on to star in multiple television series like Summerland and Greek. He is also known for lending his voice to animated characters like Theodore from the Alvin and the Chipmunks series, Horton Hears A Who! and Kingdom Hearts.
However, McCartney is best known as a pop star. His hits “Leavin’” and “Beautiful Soul”, from his 2004 album, Beautiful Soul, topped the charts in the first decade of the new millennium. Also, McCartney co-wrote Leona Lewis’ hit “Bleeding Love”. Since the 2000s, McCartney has released multiple albums. His most recent album, the 2024 extended play All’s Well, featured Yung Gravy. McCartney also notably played the pirate Reed in Fear the Walking Dead.
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Tom Welling
He Starred In Fox’s Lucifer
Tom Welling certainly earned his status as a sex symbol and heartthrob in the 2000s. He famously starred as Clark Kent/Superman in Smallville and one of the oldest Baker children in Steve Martin’s Cheaper by the Dozen. Welling also directed several episodes of Smallville while starring in the show, and just as impressively, served as executive producer for Smallville’s ninth season.
Welling continues to act but hasn’t taken on the same kind of starring roles he previously had in the 2000s. He starred in the ensemble film Parkland which detailed the assignation of President Kennedy. Most notably, however, he starred as Lieutenant Marcus Pierce/Cain in the Fox fantasy series Lucifer, which had some of the same writers as Smallville. He also played Samuel Campbell in 2022’s The Winchesters, a Supernatural spin-off that was canceled after one season.
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Milo Ventimiglia
He Recently Starred In NBC’s This Is Us
Milo Ventimiglia achieved sex symbol status for his role as Rory Gilmore’s love interest, bad boy Jess Mariano, in Gilmore Girls. He also publicly dated his co-star, Rory actor Alexis Bledel, during the series. Ventimiglia went on to star in many television series in the 2000s, such as American Dreams and Heroes. Notably, he starred as the son of Rocky and Adrian in Rocky Balboa.
He has also appeared in The Company You Keep and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, the brilliant mind behind Gilmore Girls.
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Ventimiglia continues to star in film and television. He was one of the stars of the tearjerking NBC drama, This Is Us, which ran for six seasons. He has also appeared in The Company You Keep and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, the brilliant mind behind Gilmore Girls. Many may not know that Ventimiglia is a talented voice actor as well, and has lent his voice to animated projects like Ultimate Spiderman.
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Chris Pine
He’s Become An A-List Star
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Chris Pine was made to be a heartthrob as evidenced by his feature film debut in The Princess Diaries 2, in which, of course, he plays a prince, Nicholas Deveraux, love interest to Ann Hathaway’s Mia. He also starred in the romantic comedy Just My Luck. But Pine’s career became more successful as he secured his role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot film series.
The actor may have started in the 2000s, but he is still considered an A-list star today. Recently, he starred in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Pine was arguably the best aspect of Disney’s divisive animated feature: Wish, where he played the villain, King Magnifico. The actor made his directorial debut in 2023 with Poolman, which he also starred in. However, Poolman was made with overwhelmingly negative reviews.
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Ashton Kutcher
He’s Facing Backlash For Defending Co-Star Danny Masterson
Ashton Kutcher first became famous in the late 1990s after starring in the Fox hit, That 70s Show as Michael Kelso. He continued to make audiences laugh with his prank reality show, Punk’d. In the 2000s, he starred in the cult comedy classic Dude, Where’s My Car? Kutcher was famously married Demi Moore from 2005-2013, and married his That ’70s Show sweetheart Mila Kunis in 2015. The actor has also taken on a second career as a venture capitalist.
Kutcher’s involvement with anti-human trafficking groups is well known. He started his advocacy group alongside Demi Moore called the DNA Foundation, which is devoted to fighting child sex slavery. However. Kutcher has also been the subject of public criticism. In the wake of his That 70s Show co-star Danny Masterson’s rape trial, Kutcher and Kunis wrote to the judge in the case. Kutcher vouched for Masterson, despite multiple women accusing Masterson of rape. Kutcher then stepped down as chairman of the board of Thorn, which is an anti-child-sexual abuse advocacy group.
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt
He’s Branching Out Creatively
M 338 Writer/Director Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars with Scarlett Johansson in Relativity Media’s “Don Jon”. ?2013 Relativity Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has experienced a prolific career since his humble beginnings as alien Tommy Solomon on 3rd Rock from the Sun. In the 2000s, he cemented his status as a heartthrob especially when he cut his hair short on the aforementioned sitcom. Gordon-Levitt has said that he consciously tries to appear in good movies. In the 2000s, he appeared in critically acclaimed films like Manic, Mysterious Skin, 500 Days of Summer, and the Disney cult film, Treasure Planet.
The actor made his feature directorial debut with 2013’s Don Jon, which he also wrote. The film eearned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay. Today, Gordon-Levitt continues to both act in and provide creative supervision for multiple projects. He is the founder of the online media platform HitRecord. He also wrote, starred, and executive produced Mr. Corman on Apple TV+.